DA 2010 Episode 24: Accusations Left and Right
by AngelExposed
Summary: Piotr's gotten the wrong idea from something Kitty says and begins to make accusations towards his own sister. Remy's feelings for Rogue begin to intensify upon her return, but the truth of what he knows Carol did is still eating at him (finished R&R).
1. Chapter 1: Sometimes

Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 1: Sometimes

"Piotr," Kitty Pryde said softly as she glanced up to the clear blue sky above the Xavier estate, there was barely a cloud hovering, and the sun's warm rays touched down on everything.

"Hmm?" Piotr asked, he had Kitty's head resting against his stomach as he lay soaking in the sun, back pressed against the cool lush grass of the field.

"Can I ask you something?" Kitty queried, she continued to gaze at the sky, she touched her stomach thoughtfully, wondering about the baby inside of her.

"Of course," Piotr said, he caressed her short brown hair tenderly, "what is it?"

"What do you think about single mothers?" she chewed her lip, waiting for the response, their was a long silence and the only sound was the faint laughter from the students playing basketball on the mansions court less than half a mile down away.

"Why?" Piotr asked.

"Just curious," Kitty responded quickly, realising her question must have sounded even slightly suspicious. "my cousin, she's pregnant – and her husband just left her." This was a lie, of course. Her cousin's husband had not left at all – the two of them were completely co-dependent and more than likely too scared to leave each other.

"I think…in all honesty…that single mothers are…" Piotr paused to find the right words.

"Irresponsible? Stupid? Mooching off welfare?" Kitty sucked in a breath after saying this.

Piotr finally spoke, "brave."

"You do?" Kitty leaned up to look at him.

"They have such responsibility, being the soul caretaker of another human being, this tiny and frail individual…it takes a special kind of person to do that, I guess," Piotr responded.

Kitty raised an eyebrow, "that would make every woman brave, Piotr."

"Women are brave," Piotr gave a soft laugh, "they have things so much more complicated than us men…do you not think this?"

"I guess," Kitty sat up, and shrugged, "I mean women have periods, PMS, babies, child rearing and not to mention menopause when they get older. What do men have? Wet dreams. I guess women do have it a little more complex than guys. But guys still complain about how hard their lives are from time to time. They should try being a woman."

Piotr gave laugh, loud, from the belly.

Kitty smirked, "But I mean seriously, I mean what if one girl, like, told you she'd gotten pregnant to some guy she only had sex with once and now she was like, totally clueless...?" she asked.

Piotr fell silent again, trying to decide a response to this.

"Would you…I dunno, feel like it was her own damn fault for being so irresponsible, or would you think that maybe it was just fate or…"

"I think it might depend on the situation…if she was very young I might think she was a little irresponsible…"

"What if it were the most level headed person you ever knew who told you she was pregnant?" Kitty asked.

"What are you getting at?" Piotr asked, looking concerned all of a sudden.

"I'm just talking in theory here…what if, y'know?"

"Is Illyana pregnant?" Piotr quickly asked, growing more concerned, his eyes squinting in anxiety at the thought.

"No, of course not, damn, she's fourteen, Piotr."

"This is nothing. My cousin Ninotchka had a child at thirteen, she now has four children and she is only nineteen."

"Well, Illyana isn't knocked up, I can assure you," Kitty said, "That girl is smart, and too good to go and let something like that ruin her life," she added, and she then thought at herself, _like me_.

"Alright," Piotr lay back down.

Kitty sighed silently to herself and looked away, she realised this was going to be even harder than she'd already thought.

When Rogue first opened her eyes, the room was in total sunlight, beams of bright light shining across the room, reflecting onto the cheval mirror in the corner and bouncing onto the wall nearby in a perfect oval.

She leaned up, Remy was sitting on the edge of her bed looking at her as if in slight mystification, yet complete concern. Rogue smiled for a second to see him, then a blinding pain hit her in the centre of her brain, and right behind the eyes and she squeezed her eyes shut again, hand to her head. "Oh god…" she groaned.

"Chere…are you alright?" Remy asked worriedly, she felt him touch her leg just over the covers.

The first thing that entered Rogue's mind was that she must have been drinking the night before – although she couldn't remember it, but this meant nothing, as she'd had a few hangovers in the past following nights of drinking she couldn't remember at all. The pain was very much like the pain of hangover, except several times worse. Perhaps, she had drank more than usual.

"Chere?"

"How much did I drink?" Rogue asked groggily falling back into the pillows, she kept her eyes tightly shut. The light in the room seemed to only intensify the pain.

Remy got up, and closed the drapes, "You weren't drinking

Rogue pulled the blankets over her head, "Then why is it I need an aspirin?" she moaned.

"I'll get you aspirin, just stay where you are, alright?" Remy said softly.

"Alright."

Kitty and Piotr had just returned from sunbathing in the field when Remy entered the kitchen. "Hey," Kitty said softly.

"Hey," Remy said indifferently, as he was pouring a glass of water, Kitty limped over.

"Well?" she asked quietly, Piotr had gone over to the fridge to get himself a cold soda.

"She's back," Remy said quietly under his breath, "at a price, but we'll discuss that later," he mumbled almost incoherently.

"Who's back?" Piotr asked, he had not been quite of earshot.

"Rogue is," Remy said, "Kitty, I need some aspirin…"

"Okay," Kitty took a set of keys out of her pocket and located a key for a small cupboard on the wall, she unlocked it and pulled out a packet of aspirin, "here."

"You still keep aspirin under lock and key here?" Remy asked casually.

Kitty gave a shrug.

"Rogue is back? In her own body? How did this happen?" Piotr's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"It just…happened…I was as surprised as you were," Remy responded, "listen, I have a favour to ask of you both," he turned to them.

"Name it," Kitty pulled herself up onto one of the counters and sat there, legs dangling over the edge, she crossed the leg with the broken ankle over the other, and examined the strap-on support boot casually.

"I haven't told her yet," Remy said. "Right now she doesn't know anything, it's like Carol told us all, Rogue was asleep inside her own mind, she doesn't suspect a thing…"

"So what's the favour?" Kitty asked.

"I want to break the news to her slowly…I don't think she's ready to know absolutely everything Carol did yet…I want to let her adjust to being herself again before breaking any big news to her…" Remy explained.

"So you want us to stay quiet and just not tell her anything?" Piotr asked looking grim.

"I'll deal with it, if she asks any questions, then just be vague as possible and don't tell her what Carol did. I'll deal with it when I think she's ready."

"Okay…" Kitty nodded.

"I do not agree with that," Piotr announced, "it is wrong to withhold important information from someone like that…"

Kitty felt this somewhat touched a raw nerve within her, "uhm, actually, I agree with Remy, she might not be ready to know. Not telling her would be protecting her, really."

"How can you say this…? Not knowing might be hurting her…" Piotr stated, quite firmly.

"She'll be hurt more if she knows too soon, trust me," Kitty said, "she might not be prepared to know that Carol was flaunting her body, spending her money and being a complete bitch to everyone in the mansion, plus the woman threw out most of her belongings!" she reminded.

"But still…" Piotr frowned, "if he loves her as much as he says he does, he will not hide the truth."

"Sometimes LOVE is why you keep things from people," Kitty said quite heatedly, and suddenly she wasn't sure if she was arguing about Rogue and Remy or herself and Piotr.

Remy seemed to sense what Kitty was thinking also, he touched her shoulder tenderly, "ahem?" he asked.

Kitty felt her cheeks flush and she looked away, "sorry…"

Piotr folded his arms, "I do not agree with this, but I will not say anything. I do owe you for helping me and Kitty fall in love. I guess it is the very least I can do," he grumbled.

"Thank you," Remy sighed.

"Of course, I'll do it, I owe you a lot more than I can ever repay," Kitty looked at him meaningfully.

"Pass on the info to the rest of the mansion if you can."

"I can try, but there's no way I can ensure that the student's won't say something to Rogue about it…"

"Well…tell them I'll give them a hundred dollars each if they'll keep things quiet, or something…" Remy shrugged, he picked up the glass of water.

"Can you AFFORD to fork out three thousand and four hundred dollars?" Kitty raised an eyebrow. There were thirty four students in the school all between the ages of seventeen and ten.

"Kitty, I have seven bank accounts and more money than I wish to divulge."

"Then why do you do shitty handyman work here and dress like a bum??" Kitty asked.

"Because it'd be too easy to take advantage of all that money. Besides, do you know how truly satisfying it can be to spend money that isn't stolen, or gained from selling stolen merchandise? And besides, it gives me the satisfaction of having at least interacted with the mansion somehow."

Kitty raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"I'd love to stand here and talk all day," Remy sighed, "but for the first time in three weeks, the woman I love is here again, and I better take these up to her before she starts wondering where I am," Remy added, shaking the aspirin packet. "I'll talk to you later."


	2. Chapter 2: Questions

Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 2: Questions

"Here," Remy said softly as he sat on the edge of Rogue's bed and handed her the glass of water and the aspirin.

Rogue groaned and sat up a little, and took the painkillers gratefully, "god, why is my head aching so bad if I haven't been drinking?" she frowned and swallowed the pills with a large drink of water.

"There's a reason," he said, "but first I think – before you start worrying about that – you should try and recover a little."

Rogue looked over at him, "you look…different," she said strangely, even though the drapes were closed, there was still enough light to see by.

"In what way?"

"I don't know…" Rogue admitted, she couldn't place it, was it his hair, or was it the very slight – but becoming – signs of aging. Remy was almost twenty eight, not too far from thirty. Rogue suddenly realised how long had passed since the day she'd met him. Had it been ten years already? It seemed barely three. "You look a little tired," Rogue then decided.

"I am a little," he shrugged, "doesn't matter."

Rogue looked around her room idly, then sat up a little straighter, something wasn't quite right, at first it didn't really register. She'd been staring around the room several moments before she noted that her favourite perfumes that usually lay displayed on the dresser were gone, replaced with two larger perfume bottles, more expensive perfumes than even she would have bought.

Then the more Rogue looked, the more she began to realise things were out of place. The closet, that lay open, was full of clothes that she was almost positive were not hers. She glanced down to the bed sheets, they were white satin, not the pink cotton she would have there. Even the pillows were different, there were definitely more of them. The books by her bed were not the kind of books she would read – she'd never liked John Grisham as an author.

"Remy?" she asked, her voice quivering as she spoke. She glanced down at her body, the nightgown she was wearing was barely even qualifying as clothing, it was incredibly sheer, she put her arms over her chest as if she thought Remy might be looking at her.

"Hmm?" Remy asked, it seemed a casual response, and yet there was something very on edge about the way he did respond that told her something was incredibly wrong.

"Where's…all…my stuff…" she managed in slow breaths as she tried to calm herself. Things like this were not to be taken lightly.

Remy moved a little closer, he put his hand on her leg, the satin sheets between their skin, "I know you must be close to freaking out right now…" he said softly, "Just…try and remain calm while I explain…"

"Don't…tell me to remain calm…" Rogue pushed him away, as if perhaps this were all his doing, "What the fuck is going on?!" she demanded, she pointed to the closet, "those aren't my clothes, these aren't my books, and THAT is definitely not my perfume over there…this nightie isn't mine, yet…it IS my room…"

"Technically, this stuff is yours," Remy answered softly, "Technically."

"What do you mean technically? Did I just go out and buy this stuff without realising what I was doing?" she asked sarcastically.

"Kind of," Remy looked away, "What's the last thing you remember?" he asked.

Rogue paused, looking away, frowning, trying to remember, "you…running off, your watch beeping…" she trailed off, "and then…I don't know…it's all a blur."

Remy sucked in a breath, "you took some kind of strange…seizure," he decided to leave out the part about Betsy Braddock causing the seizure in the first place. "You were out for a time – almost a day – and then you woke up, and…you weren't you anymore."

"What is that meant to mean?" Rogue asked abrasively.

"Carol Danvers was in control of your body," Remy answered softly.

Rogue shook her head, "Now…it's not possible, I mean…the professor helped me to control her from stopping her doing that…she almost did it before but—"

"Well, this time she got out…and it was three weeks ago that she did…you've been in a sleep-like state in your own head apparently, you didn't know anything of what was going on…"  
Rogue put her hands to her face, it was hard to believe this could be true. She didn't understand why it had happened at all, yet she could see by serious of Remy's face that this had to be true. He wouldn't just make something like this up to scare her. And it did seem logical in relation to all the items of clothing and other objects that appeared in her room that she had no recollection of buying.

"You okay?" Remy asked, after having realised she had been terribly silent for several minutes now.

Rogue sat up slowly, pulling her knees to her chest insecurely, "No," she mumbled, she looked away from him.

"What?" Remy inched closer.

"I feel like this is some nightmare I just can't wake up from," Rogue squeezed her eyes shut, "I keep praying that I'll close my eyes, then open them…" she said, after a moment, she blinked her eyes open wearily, "and everything will be fine…my room will be the way I remember leaving it…" she explained, "but…everything's different, god, even you look different."

Remy moved beside her, he draped one of the blankets from a nearby chair over her semi-exposed skin and pulled her to him and held her, "I might look different," he sighed, "but my feelin's have never changed."

Kitty Pryde had been heading towards the girls dorm to tell one of the students a telephone call had come in for her when she heard Piotr Rasputin's voice coming from Illyana Rasputin's bedroom – the one Illyana shared with Alison Blaire.

The door was hanging slightly ajar, and Kitty felt herself compelled to move on further and listen in.

"Just tell me, Illyana, are you pregnant?"

"No, I am not!" Illyana sounded sincerely outraged, and Kitty herself had never heard the young cheerful blonde ever sound so mad. "I can't believe you would accuse me of such a thing!"

"I have suspicions!" Piotr said, his voice ever more hostile.

Kitty moved towards the door a little closer, and gazed in. Piotr loomed over his petite sister almost dangerously, his eyes were wild. I told him she wasn't pregnant, why would he go and just assume she was? Kitty wondered.

"I'm NOT pregnant. Whoever told you I was is surely just trying to be mean!"

"No one told me, I deduced this for myself," Piotr said firmly.

"I'm NOT pregnant," she repeated firmly.

"I want you to prove this. I want you to take a pregnancy test," Piotr said.

Illyana gestured frustratedly at her brother, "I don't NEED to! I have not been NEAR a boy, I cannot believe you would call me a liar."

"If you are pregnant you need not keep the secret from me, I would not think the less of you, I just want to make sure you are given the proper care you need!"

Kitty couldn't stand by and let this happen, she pushed the door open, "Illyana…" she said softly.

"Miss Pryde…I am sorry if my yelling is disturbing anyone," Illyana said, her cheeks flushing scarlet.

"It's not that. Could you, uh, maybe give me and your brother a moment?" Kitty asked.

"But this is my room…" Illyana gestured around her.

"I know, but just for a moment, just until we straighten something out. Could you go tell Theresa that there's a phone call for her?" Kitty asked politely.

"Alright," Illyana said curtly, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Piotr looked flabbergasted, "why did you interrupt? I could have gotten her to admit it…she just needed coaxing."

"Hey, you were WAY out of line with her," Kitty said, she walked over and pointed a finger into his chest, "that was unfair! You have NO proof she's pregnant."

"That's why I want her to take a pregnancy test – there are some in the hospital wing," Piotr stammered.

"I already told you she's not pregnant," Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Then why do you bring up about pregnancy?" he asked. "The questions…earlier today."

"Because I was curious, alright? It was a total theoretical discussion…"

Piotr looked her in the eyes, "you're lying…" he whispered, "you are lying to me, you…you look…uneasy…and something does not feel right…if Illyana is truly pregnant you should tell me the truth."

"For…fucks…sake," Kitty breathed heavily and angrily, "Illyana is NOT pregnant," she yelled at him, "I am, okay!?" she looked at him, her eyes glistening, on the brink of tears, "I am…"

Piotr fell totally silent, stunned, his expression was unreadable, he just stood there, uttering not a word, nor giving any response to indicate what he was feeling.

"I'm pregnant…" Kitty whispered, then looked away, "I wanted to wait until the right moment to tell you but…now I just realise there IS no right way to tell you…"

"How…"

"How isn't important," Kitty responded, "it was long before you and I even got together."

"How long have you known…" he said, his voice shaky.

"Since the night Rogue had the weird seizure – then Carol took over."

"Why…why have you kept this…from me?" he asked, his voice angry now.

"Because I didn't know how you'd react, and I didn't know what I wanted to do…" Kitty stammered, "I…I kept putting it off because I didn't want to hurt you…and Remy kept telling me I should just let it out—"

"Remy knows…Remy knows…You told HIM, but you did not tell me?!" he demanded angrily.

"I…" Kitty tried to respond but before she could Piotr started again.

"He is the father, is he not?!" he demanded.

"No!" Kitty yelled back, "He's just my friend, and I was scared and crying and he was THERE, okay!? He was just there when I needed someone and I told him."

"I am the man you are in love with!" Piotr reminded, "don't you think I should have been the first to know you are pregnant with someone elses child?!" he demanded. "This isn't just some little minor thing that does not mean anything – this is a life changing thing – something I should have BEEN consulted with."

Kitty broke down into tears, "I know…"

Piotr shook his head at her, "I am not sure I can ever trust you again, Kitty. You have been dishonest…" he stomped towards the door, left the room and slammed it behind him, the door rattled, and Kitty fell to her knees sobbing.


	3. Chapter 3: The Accusation

Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 3: The Accusation

Remy LeBeau left Rogue's room after Rogue had fallen back asleep. Rogue's whole body seemed drained after the ordeal, or perhaps it was just her mind that was drained after Carol's complete domination over it. He would have sat there and watched her, but he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. It must have been strange enough for her already.

Remy closed the door silently behind him, smiling, happy to have her back. Although his smile began to fade already, as he thought of how he was going to deal with trying to distance himself from her so that he could break up with her temporarily until he could leave.

_I could just tell her about the whole deal_, Remy thought as he flicked his hair out of his eyes, he stared back at Rogue's door. Somehow, in his heart, he knew that telling Rogue about the deal with Betsy wasn't the way to go. That would risk having her find out about Betsy Braddock's involvement in Carol's domination over her mind – and that would also mean that she'd find out how long Remy waited before making that decision.

If she knew I hadn't agreed to it straight away, she'd be hurt, Remy thought miserably, he turned to head down the hall, and it was that split second that Piotr Rasputin's hand came out of what almost seemed to be nowhere, grabbed the front of his shirt and thrust him up against the wall.

"You--!" Piotr hissed, his eyes were blazing with such a passionate hatred, that for a moment, Remy almost thought he might just kill him at that very second.

"What have I done now?" Remy groaned, trying to remain as calm as he could manage whilst dangling between the wall and Piotr's fist, his feet did not even touch the ground as he was suspended between both.

"You--! You bastard!" Piotr roared. The word did not sound right from Piotr's tongue. Remy could feel that the word probably tasted strange in Piotr's own mouth. Piotr didn't swear – not unless, of course something was bothering him. Piotr pressed Remy harder against the wall.

"Mon ami, careful! My back!" Remy winced at the pain, "look, whatever I 'supposedly' did, I'm pretty sure you're wrong," he said, "like you always are," he added in merely a mumble. He struggled a little more, the material of his shirt was digging into him under his arms, it was already beginning to hurt.

"Put him down!" came Kitty's hysterical cries as she ran along the hall, tearstains streaking her face. "He hasn't DONE anything," she staggered a little, falling to her knees, she pulled herself up unsteadily, she was obviously distraught – and it seemed as if Piotr had been the one to cause her anxiety.

"He is OBVIOUSLY the father!" Piotr bellowed, his spittle hit Remy's face.

"Shut up!" Kitty smacked him, "I don't want the whole fuckin mansion hearing this!" she hissed.

"If this is about Kitty's pregnancy," Remy grasped Piotr's fist and tried to release himself from the iron grip, "I can assure you it's impossible…I've even been with her."

"About the only woman you haven't dipped yourself in, eh?" came a loathsome voice, Bobby Drake stepped out of Betsy Braddock's bedroom, and Betsy followed, she herself looked smug. They had obviously overheard everything.

"Fuck," Kitty uttered, she put her hands to her face, tears still pouring.

Ororo Munroe came down the hall from the direction of the stairway into the foyer, "Piotr, let him down. I think we can dispense with this drama."

"He got Kitty pregnant!" Piotr yelled, he shook Remy harder, still against the wall.

"I haven't had sex in ten months!" Remy said, "embarrassingly enough," he added with a disdainful frown. "So you see, I can't have impregnated her."

"You have no evidential proof!" Piotr hissed.

"Neither do you," Remy frowned, "and if you DO, I'd love to know how you managed to gain enough of my DNA to conduct a paternity test for an unborn child," he added, feeling rather sure. Remy had to stop – just for a split second of course – and ask himself if it was possible that somewhere along the lines he may have given into lust at some time – perhaps drunkenly – and taken advantage of Kitty. But he assured himself it was just impossible.

Jean Grey and Scott Summers appeared from Jean's room, looking befuddled, just as Ororo did.

"Let him GO," Ororo commanded harshly, "do not make me tell you a third time, or you will regret it. I am STILL your team leader, and that is an order."

Piotr let go of Remy, and Remy to the floor with a soft thud on the carpet. Remy felt a small jolt in his spine as he landed on his backside.

"Ow, fuck, she didn't say drop me like I'm a sack of potatoes," Remy mumbled.

Kitty shook her head in disgrace, "this was not how I wanted this to come out…" she said in a half-sob.

"What's goin' on…" came a weary voice, Rogue's door had opened and she stood looking confusedly at everyone, her eyes tired, her face a little paler than usual.

"Kitty's pregnant, and Remy's the father," Bobby said instantly.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Remy growled, everyone saw his eyes flash that dangerous red just momentarily.

"What?" Rogue asked confusedly.

"Would everyone just shut up?!" Kitty shrieked suddenly, her eyes were red from crying now, her face flushed, her lips trembling. "Stop making accusations and starting rumours – none of you – apart from REMY, know ANYTHING, so just SHUT UP!" she yelled.

Remy got up slowly, "calm down," he said softly to her.

"No, I will not calm down!" she moved away from Remy, "now EVERYONE will know…know how STUPID I was. My life is over, my career, the respect I had…everything!" she sobbed. "I don't even WANT this baby, I never wanted it!"

"Yes you did," Remy put his hands on her shoulders, "you're just upset, when the light changes, you're going to see how you can turn this all around and MAKE it the best thing in your life…"

Piotr sighed, "I cannot stay here…" he decided.

"Go cool off," Remy suggested with a slight disdain for the man. He was getting quite annoyed with every accusation Piotr had ever made towards him, "then come back when you're ready to apologise to her."

"I have nothing to apologise for," Piotr said sternly, "she should be apologising to me – for keeping secrets…and you!" he shoved Remy, "should be apologising for not being able to keep your hands off her."

"Are you fucking mad!?" Remy demanded, "I already TOLD you I'm not the father. Is your skull as thick as your skin when you're in metal form?!" he clenched his fists. "Since the moment you and Kitty got together, I've been putting up with all kinds of accusations – none of which are true. If I'd known you were going to be this way I never would have TOLD you she had feelings for you in the first place."

"If you would stay away from her, we would not HAVE this problem," Piotr boomed.

"You can't STOP me from being friends with him!" Kitty yelled at Piotr furiously through her tears, she moved her hair away from her face, her blue eyes glistening.

"He's a thief and a liar and untrustworthy!" Piotr pointed towards Remy angrily.

Kitty shoved Piotr, her fury building up inside of her like a pot of water boiling until the bubbles were spilling over the edges. "Untrustworthy?!" Kitty demanded, "he's the only person in the world I CAN trust about now!" she yelled, "he's known all this time and didn't tell a soul. He looked after me when I needed him, he listened when I needed to talk, he didn't judge me the way you did!" she shoved him again, even harder, it didn't even budge him. "He had his OWN problems, and he was there for me regardless of his own stress! He's the best friend ANYONE could ever have and a better friend to me than YOU'LL ever be!"

"Watch out for those mood swings, Kitty," Remy mumbled softly.

"The way you feel about him is even more evidence that he is the father," Piotr said, very calmly and coldly.

"Look, Piotr, I'm not going to stand here all day and argue about this. I am NOT in any way the father of her baby," Remy growled.

"Then who is?!" Piotr demanded.

"Maybe you should ask her – politely – instead of pointing accusing fingers at me at every ample opportunity."

"He has a right to, you know," Bobby said, folding his arms. "After all, there's that old phrase 'never trust a thief'. Perhaps the person who coined the phrase was one of your many ex-lovers."

"Bobby! Quiet," Ororo commanded, her blue eyes flashed white momentarily then faded back to that clear sky blue colour once again. "You have no involvement in this at all, so you will hold your tongue."

"Why should I?" Bobby demanded rather indignantly, he gave Ororo an icy stare. "Anyway, I'm suspended from the X-Men, remember? You can't command me anymore," Bobby uttered, he stomped off down the hall, disappearing down the stairs.

Betsy, who had remained silent until all this time, merely smiled, and walked away behind Bobby, her long plum tinted hair, which seemed almost lighter than feathers, floated behind her, shining magnificently. Then she was gone. Now, only Ororo, Remy, Jean, Kitty and Piotr remained standing in the hall.

Remy shook his head at Betsy's behaviour. She was smug that he was once again the centre of negative attention – and this time she seemed perfectly delighted that Kitty had been humiliated by her pregnancy being announced rather publicly in the hallway.

Jean moved over to Kitty, "Kitty, come with me, I think you should discuss this with the Professor," she said softly. She put her arm around Kitty and led her away slowly, talking in a soothing voice as they left together.

Rogue touched Remy's shoulder, "What's going on exactly?" she asked, her voice full of confusion, she had not spoken throughout the commotion up until now.

"I'll tell you later," Remy sighed, he looked at her softly. The truth was, he really didn't want to tell her anything, not right now. He was very aware that his nerves were screaming for nicotine, and he pulled himself together. "I'm goin' out for cigarettes."


	4. Chapter 4: The Professor's Opinion

Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 4: The Professor's Opinion

Kitty was sitting in Professor Xavier's spacious office, the room was mildly cool, and the vertical blinds at the large window provided a comfortable shade. The clock on the mantle ticked softly, the sound was somewhat calming, Kitty felt. Jean had led her in, but said nothing. Kitty had been sitting there for four minutes without being able to say what she needed to.

I wish Jean had stayed, Kitty thought. She felt like sighing. She wished Jean had stayed and told the Professor what she'd heard in the hallway. Telling Professor Xavier – the one man who truly thought the most of her and her potential – would be the most difficult thing she had to do. She'd thought that telling Piotr about the pregnancy would be harder than this, but now, sitting opposite him, she knew the truth.

"I can see conflict lies within you," Professor Xavier said, he was sitting very still in his wheelchair. For once he had put back all his paperwork, to give her his utmost attention. Kitty wished he hadn't, she wished he wasn't looking at her.

Kitty drew her beeath, "like Jean said…I have something to tell you…and…" Kitty swallowed nervously, tears were stinging her eyes again. "Well…it's just so difficult to say," she sighed. "It's one of those things that…it'll change your whole opinion of me, it'll make you hate me, think I've ruined my life…"

"Kitty, nothing you could tell me – unless of course you plan on telling me you are marrying Magneto – could make me think less of you," he said with a wry smile which made Kitty smile slightly too.

Kitty looked down to her hands, she was twisting them together, twining her fingers anxiously, "I…"

"I think I know what you're going to say, Kitty," the Professor said carefully.

"Did you read my mind?" Kitty asked, looking at him worriedly, she bit her lip.

"No," Professor Xavier answered quietly, "I never use my powers to nose into the affairs of others," he explained.

"Oh," Kitty responded.

"However," the Professor added, "my power is never completely switched off. Although I might not read minds, I tend to sense emotions, feelings…" he said, "and this helped me to realise what your dilemma is."

"What do you mean?" Kitty asked nervously, she picked at a rough edge on one of her fingernails as if it would help her deal with the situation.

"My powers are drawn to very powerful emotion within the mansion, especially when the emotions are suddenly all the more heightened and somewhat erratic…as yours have been. Your emotions were like a magnet to my powers, and within a single day, I sensed your inner turmoil, excitement, happiness, sadness, anxiety, depression, fear, anger, nervousness and confusion just to name a few."

Kitty nodded slightly, beginning to understand.

"Of course, these are all normal emotions that anyone might have," the Professor responded, "but they were changing so suddenly from one emotion to the next, that it led me to believe you were experiencing mood swings."

"I…yes," Kitty finally admitted.

"I believe you are with child," the Professor said softly.

Kitty gave a timid nod and glanced quickly up to him, then back down to her hands again. She felt so ashamed, and she knew the Professor must have picked up on it, because he responded quickly once again.

"This…is nothing to feel shameful about, Kitty," the Professor stated.

"But there is," she looked up again, "this…is an unplanned pregnancy, the father doesn't even know – AND he's a criminal – and before you ask it's DEFINITELY not Remy," Kitty stated. "I'm twenty four years old, I'm not ready to have a baby. I can barely take care of myself let alone another human being…and this…it's going to ruin my life, my life will never be the way it used to be…ever."

"An unplanned pregnancy is not some mistake that you should feel forever guilty for, Kitty," Professor Xavier said softly, "New life is a wonderful thing, not to be taken for granted…or to be forever deemed an accident…"

Kitty looked at the Professor, beginning to feel slightly better.

"And why should it ruin your life? Think of how truly amazing it will be to hold a tiny person that you gave birth to, think of how truly wonderful it will be to bring the baby's laughter…" the Professor stated. "Think of your parents, how happy they would have been to have a grandchild regardless of the circumstances…"

Kitty thought, she knew her parents would be slightly concerned over the circumstances, but they would love the child no matter what, just as they'd loved her despite her mutant abilities.

"And so your life might change, and never be the same…it's not a bad thing. Barely anything needs to change, Kitty. You'll still be able to be one of the X-Men after maternity leave," the Professor said, "you can still continue to teach…you can still continue to live with us, the only thing that will have changed is that you'll be a mother…"

Kitty swallowed, "that's scary, though, Professor…this tiny little person, and the thought of it calling me Mommy…the thought that…like…oh my god, this thing actually NEEDS me," she explained. "And then…the thought of having a baby in the house if we ever get attacked by Magneto…"

"Magneto is many things but I do not think he would purposely harm a child," Professor Xavier said gravely.

Kitty sighed, "thanks for your support, Professor, but right now, I don't know, I guess I just don't feel as enthusiastic as you do."

"Understandable," Professor smiled sympathetically. "If you ever need me, I am always here."

She forced a smile, and swallowed, "I know," she said, "one question?"

"Yes?"

"Can I continue to teach until the baby is born also because…I have…nothing else to do," she added.

"Of course…" he smiled, "In fact, I may have something that will keep you occupied until the birth."

"What is it?"

"We'll discuss it later," the Professor suggested, "in the meantime I'd suggest washing your face, drying your eyes, and having a soothing cup of tea."

"Sounds good to me."

Remy LeBeau stepped into a small ten minutes walk away from the Mansion. He was glad to be out of the Mansion. During the last few moments he'd spent in the mansion before walking out, he'd felt the atmosphere change, and become very negative, and he was all too aware that he had some part in it, however slight it might have been.

_Why are you blaming yourself_? He wondered as he began to wander over to the counter. _You might have set Kitty up with Piotr, that's all. He's the one at fault with his Jealousy, he has no control of his anger_.

Remy mused about that, he sometimes had the same problem. Who _am I to judge_? He wondered with a strange smile at himself. He approached the counter, a young girl about the age of eighteen had been flicking through – what Remy could have sworn – was a pornography magazine. She slipped it behind the counter so fast Remy couldn't have been sure, but it had looked like a naked woman on the front.

"Hey," she said brightly, although he could detect a slightly hesitant and unsure tone in her voice, "how can I help?"

"Baby, no one can help me," Remy responded with the slight flirtatious smirk that was his trademark.

The girl blushed deep crimson, and looked down so that her long dark eyelashes seemed to caress her cheeks. She had curly blonde hair, and she would have been pretty were it not for the glasses she were wearing which did not suit her face, and the way she wore her hair in barrettes.

"Pack of Regal," Remy gestured to the cigarette display behind her."

The girl forced a smile and turned to take a pack of cigarettes from the display, accidentally knocking down several others, they all tumbled down behind the counter with soft slapping sounds against the tiles beneath her feet.

"God, I'm such a moron," she sighed.

Remy might have offered to help, but there was a sign clearly on the counter stating that customers must stay on the other side of the counter at all times. "Don't worry about it. We all make mistakes," he said, he thought of several of his own and sighed.

"I'm new…so…" she knelt down and began to pick them up.

"I could kind of tell," Remy said, and he had, because she didn't seem to have the confidence or the experience to complete the transaction quickly. An experienced employee would have sold him the cigarettes first, and then picked the fallen ones up, but he wasn't about to tell her how to do her job.

"You sure walked out in a hurry," came a familiar southern drawl near his back.

Remy glanced over his shoulder, Rogue was standing there, she was wearing a short sundress, her long smooth tanned legs exposed more than what was usual for her. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, her face fresh without makeup. He put a twenty dollar bill on the counter and received his cigarettes, he stood to weight for his change.

"I needed cigarettes," he shrugged.

The girl behind the counter slipped the bill in to the cash register, but then dropped a handful of coins on the floor trying to retrieve his change, and she groaned and began to pick it up, prolonging the transaction even further.

Rogue watched the girl curiously for a moment

"Why are you out? You're supposed to be resting?" Remy said softly to Rogue.

"What's the point of just sittin' around. I'm fine. I'm tired but I've been tired before, and I'll get over it," Rogue reached over to pick a piece of lint off of Remy's t-shirt, "what was all that about back at the mansion…"

"I'm not really sure I should be the one to explain it," Remy unwrapped the cigarette packet and opened it, taking a cigarette out. He had no intentions of lighting it in the shop, but he was so incredibly tense that he wanted to be able to smoke the second he walked out that door, and he didn't want to hinder himself from doing so later.

"How did Kitty get pregnant?" Rogue asked curiously.

"C'mon, Cher. I KNOW you got that talk when you were in school," Remy forced a smirk, the joke didn't seem very funny though.

The girl behind the counter coughed, "ahem, here's your change…"

Remy smiled politely as he pocketed his change, "thanks," he said, he put one arm around Rogue's waist, careful not to let his bare arm brush against any of her skin, and led her towards the door.

"You were totally flirting with that girl," Rogue mumbled once they were outside.

"Of course I was," Remy shrugged, "I though it'd get me a discount on my cigs," he shrugged, he took his zippo lighter out of his pocket and lit his cigarette.

"Since when did you need a discount, Remy?" Rogue raised an eyebrow with a slight smirk, "you probably have more money than everyone in the mansion – except from the professor, of course."

"Probably," Remy shrugged, "I don't go countin' it. It's all lyin' in several banks gainin' interest," he added.

"How much…do you actually have?" Rogue asked curiously. She'd never really known what Remy had been saving for all his life, but she knew he'd been stacking money away for a while now. He'd done petty thieving jobs to keep a low profile for some time, and to keep himself occupied, but she knew that he didn't need to work anymore to support himself.

"That's my business," Remy remarked, feeling more like a jerk than he ever had in his life. He softened his tone, "c'mon…lets go home, get changed, and I'll take you out for somethin' to eat."


	5. Chapter 5: Rage of the Kitty

Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 5: Rage of the Kitty

Kitty Pryde had dried her eyes, washed her face and supped on sweet tea to calm her nerves a little just as the professor had suggested. Feeling much more relaxed and confident, she decided to find Piotr to try and talk some sense into him. She hoped by now he might have calmed down at least a little. She could understand it in some sense, and she had tried as many times as she could to try and see it from his point of view. It did make sense that he'd suspect Remy was the father of her baby, especially when the two spent so much time together.

_I wish I WAS in love with Remy_, Kitty thought. _Even Remy's less trouble than Piotr is. I always thought that when I got in a relationship with Piotr everything would be perfect, but it's been a disaster from the start_, she thought as she headed down the male wing of the mansion.

Kitty tried to picture the situation happening to Rogue and Remy, and wondered if this ordeal had happened to Rogue, and Rogue had become pregnant with another man's child, would Remy have still loved her enough to stick by her anyway?

_Of course he would_, Kitty made a face, _because he actually loves Rogue. For all I know, this thing with Piotr is a mere crush or something_. She sighed, stopping halfway along the hall. She was beginning to not care anymore. She'd been through so much grief thinking about not hurting Piotr and now thinking about how much she had hurt him, that she was beginning to think it might be best if she did not see him anymore. She was beginning to feel like everything had been a mistake in its entirety, and that it should have been left an unrequited love, because at least she would never have felt as loathsome for him as she did at the moment.

Kitty shook her head at herself, she was thinking irrationally, and that was no good. She approached Piotr's bedroom door to find it open, Piotr was packing, his back was turned to the door. "What…are you doing?" she stammered.

"I cannot be here…" Piotr said, he did not turn to face her, he simply continued to shove whatever he could into his holdall.

"You're going to run away?!" Kitty demanded, "can't you just pretend to be a man for five MINUTES and just stand here and deal with this?" she demanded.

"I have stood and I have dealt with several things in my life," Piotr said coldly, he finally turned and stared at her. "I have stood and I have told you I am in love with you. I have stood and let my heart be broken. I will not stand and have the broken shards stepped on by you and Remy LeBeau."

"Remy is NOT the father of my baby!" Kitty hissed, she was getting very fed up with having to repeat the same thing over and over only to have it fall on deaf ears such as his.

"Then who IS?" Piotr bellowed.

"Who knows?!" Kitty demanded insanely, "you obviously have NO trust for me, so for all you care, it could be ANYONE in the mansion, hey, for all you know it could even be the Profs, right? That's someone else for you to blame, isn't it, someone who didn't do anything, but was just there at the right time so it looks suspicious."

"You are speaking complete dribble," Piotr uttered.

"And YOU are talking out of your ass," Kitty said stubbornly, "the father of my baby is someone I haven't even SEEN in over two months!"

"I don't believe you!" Piotr looked at her, "I believe you are covering up for Remy because your heart lies with him."

"The father of my baby is Ryan Bloom!" Kitty yelled.

Piotr stopped, he went silent, then blinked, "Ryan Bloom…" he said quietly, "is he not—" he was about to go into a long explanation of who he thought Ryan Bloom was.

"The brother of my ex-boyfriend – remember, the one who went to prison for hacking a bank?" Kitty's eyes were wide with frustration.

"He is barely a child…"

"He's nineteen," Kitty responded, "not much younger than I am…I'm only twenty-two."

"Twenty-three next month," Piotr pointed out. "A little old to be messing around with a nineteen year old."

"Look, what I do with my life is my own personal business. So what, I had a fling. I'm sure YOU'VE had flings in your life too, probably lots."

"I most certainly do not!" Piotr's cheeks flushed scarlet, "but if I did I would have the common sense to at least take precautions so that I do not end up with unwanted children!"

"I WANT my child, okay?" Kitty yelled, although she wasn't sure if it was him, or herself she was trying to convince, "it might have been a complete and utter shock but this isn't some stupid accident I wish I could take back, okay?" she demanded, "this might be unplanned, but I'm going to make my life work regardless of the obstacles that have jumped out at me, and if you want to be part of it, FINE, but if you want to just run away like a scared little kid, then just fuck off and do it because I'm not going to stand here and WASTE my time crying over you and the fear of hurting you anymore," she felt her temperature rise, and she tried to calm down. She knew this kind of rage within herself could not have been good for her unborn child.

"You are not seriously suggesting that I become part of this?!" Piotr demanded.

"Then what do you suggest, break up because of a pregnancy that happened before we decided to get together?"

"I have nothing to do with this," Piotr said, "I had plans for you and me, Kitty, but bringing up some other man's child was not part of it."

"I didn't ASK you if you wanted to bring up some other man's child," Kitty spat at him, "I asked you if you want to be part of my life – the kid has nothing to do with our feelings for each other," she reminded angrily. "Y'know what, I was coming here, intent on asking for forgiveness for keeping this from you, but I think now it's YOU who owes me the apology, for being such an asshole, always being suspicious, never trusting me, and for making me feel about THIS big," she held her thumb and index finger a centimetre apart.

"I do not owe you any apologies," Piotr uttered, he turned and zipped up his bag, then pulled the strap over his shoulder as he grabbed his jacket from the chair.

"Be that way," Kitty uttered, "and just so we're clear before anyone asks. I dumped YOU," she hissed, and turned away as he stomped past her, she heard his heavy footsteps descend down the stairs, she heard the loud slam of the mansions front door.

If she had not been so angry, she thought she might have cried, but for once, she was going to hold her head high and hold back the tears.

Rogue and Remy were walking side by side towards the Mansion, "so…" Rogue said, she had her arms folded casually as she walked, the short skirt of the sundress flapping around her thighs from a gentle warm breeze. "What have I missed in the last three weeks?" she asked softly.

"A lot, but I don't want to bore you with it all right now," Remy said, his hair stirring in the breeze, he took a long drag of his cigarette, "Bobby's still an asschunk, Piotr's gettin' on my last nerve, and Kitty…well…you know."

"I just…I don't understand how someone…so…together…could run out and get pregnant…" Rogue admitted sounding very confused, "I mean…if the baby isn't Piotr's…then who is it's?"

"You should maybe consult Kitty about that, hmmm?" Remy asked softly, he flicked the ash from his cigarette to the ground, then took another long drag, he exhaled the smoke through his nose.

"You…aren't the father, are you?" Rogue turned, "I mean…" she stopped him, "I know…you said to everyone back there that you aren't," she added, "but…you always were able to lie to them so easy, but…I just…"

"Why is it this is a popular theory that I must be the father of her baby?" Remy queried sadly, "am I that much of a male slut that when anyone's pregnant the first name that comes to mind as the father has to be mines?"

"No," Rogue admitted, "it's just…I don't know…I've been…not myself, and you and Kitty are good friends, and a lot can happen in three weeks…y'know."

"I wouldn't do that to you…" Remy said, he looked at her seriously.

Rogue looked down to the ground, and shivered despite the breeze, the memories of the past left her feeling cold and incredibly vulnerable, "It's just…you know, you did."

Remy realised at once she was speaking of Bella Donna. He and Rogue had still been technically together when he'd slept with Bella Donna, getting her pregnant – although it was part of a scheme to free them from the Assassins clutches. He realised maybe Rogue did have a reason to worry, he HAD done it before, no matter what the circumstances were.

"I'm not the father…I still haven't slept with anyone in eleven months."

"It's sad you're still counting," Rogue said in a grave tone.

"I know," Remy sighed, he moved over and put his hands on her hips, and pulled her a little closer, "listen, Chere. I love you more than anything in this world, my life just…doesn't amount to anything without you…do you think I'd REALLY blow everything I have with you by sleepin' with Kitty? I know she's your friend and everything, and she's kinda pretty, but no offence, she has no tits, and no ass…it'd be like ridin' a bike, with no handlebars and saddle."

"Remy!" Rogue gaped at the crudeness.  
"Okay, bad analogy, but, you get what I mean…she's not my type."

"And what IS your type?" Rogue said, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Tanned, sexy, with green eyes, ample bosom and an ass you could rest a can of beer on and park a bike in," he smirked.

"You're unbelievably chauvinistic sometimes you know," Rogue smiled.

"Yup," he grinned.

Suddenly the roar of an engine caught their attention and they both whirled around to see a very large man on a motorbike speed past them, heading down the road leaving Bayville, a holdall strapped to the back of the bike. Rogue blinked, she was sure he must have been past the speed limit.

"Whoah, he's going a bit fast, ain't he?" she gaped.

Remy stopped and watched the biker descend down the road and disappear from sight, "fuck," he mumbled.

"What?" Rogue asked, she touched his shoulder to get his attention.

Remy sighed deep in his chest, despite the helmet, he couldn't mistake the large bulk sitting on that bike, and he recognised the bike, "that was Piotr."


	6. Chapter 6: That Little Dress

Dismal Angel 2010 - Episode 24

Chapter 6: That Little Dress

An hour after Piotr had walked out, Kitty Pryde found herself summoned to the Professor's office on the ground floor of the mansion. She stepped in quietly for the second time that day, "you wanted to see me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light and trying to hide her upset. Now that Piotr had walked out, and the anger had melted away, Kitty felt a great sadness, although the strange feeling that this was all for the best had not left her alone.

"One of the students reported yelling from upstairs – a lot of swearing involved," the Professor admitted.

"Sorry, Professor," Kitty chewed her lip, "Won't happen again," she said, she looked at him and hoped he would not ask her anymore questions regarding this, and he seemed to respect her wishes. She wondered if he had read her mind.

"Actually," the professor said, "that wasn't the reason I asked you to come down, but I just decided I might – as you young ones say – kill two birds with one stone," he smiled, "earlier I was discussing I have a little task to keep you occupied with until maternity leave," he reminded.

"Does that mean I can't teach until after maternity leave?" Kitty queried.

"No, I just, know that you'll find it hard to fill your days with so much free time due to the absence of danger room training in your schedule," he smiled, "I don't want you in there anymore," he explained, "not until a LONG time after the baby is born," he added.

"Okay, so…what's this about?" Kitty asked.

The Professor gestured towards the window, the sun was leaking in through the vertical blinds of the large window. Kitty moved over and stared outside, squinting in the light. The students were outside playing baseball on the field, using it as a makeshift pitch, laughing amongst themselves.

"You want me to coach them for baseball?" she raised an eyebrow.

"No, look on the benches away from the pitch," the Professor suggested.

Kitty stared towards the benches, and she blinked a little in surprise, a tiny young girl was sitting on the very bench, her feet dangling over the edge, her brown sandals skimming the grass ever so slightly. She had straight tawny blonde hair. Kitty could not see the girls face, but she would surmise the girl must be around five years old. "The kid?"

"She's our newest student," the Professor explained. "Jessie Crowell," he added, "she came in from Chicago today…orphaned at the age of two."

"Oh…" Kitty felt somewhat like crying all of a sudden. She always felt so sad to see a child parentless, especially one so young.

"She was in an orphanage these last four years," the Professor explained,

"Oh…that's…so sad…" Kitty swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"She's a lot younger than the others, and I don't think she'll be able to…connect with them, and she's too young to be included in their classes and their training. I was thinking perhaps, with all the spare time you will have on your hands, maybe you would like to tutor her, and care for her."

"Really?" Kitty asked, somewhat touched the Professor thought of her to take on this challenge. "So…she's…a mutant?"

"Yes," the Professor responded, he looked down a file that was on his desk, he skimmed it with the blunt end of a lavish pen with his initials engraved on it, "there aren't too many details on the subject but the administrator at the orphanage who I met with told me she can create spheres of lightning…she…absorbs electricity almost like Rogue can absorb mutant power."

"Absorbing electricity, wow…she's only…what, six?"

"It is almost frightening to believe a child of six years old can hold the power of lightning in her hands, isn't it," the professor said grimly. "I was told her powers can be a little unstable, but she has not hurt anymore seriously…"

Kitty nodded, "What kind of stuff would I have to do?"

"Same as you do with the other students in the danger room, teach focus, discipline and control with the power. Help the child relax to her new surroundings, help with her schooling."

"How educated is she?" Kitty asked.

"She's very bright for her age," the Professor said, "incredibly clever indeed," he smiled, "she managed to read the name 'Professor Charles Xavier' from a folder on my desk, and she can tell the time perfectly from a clock with roman numerals," he gestured to the clock on the mantle.

Kitty smiled a little, already beginning to forget her woes for the moment, "can I go out and talk to her?"

"Of course," the Professor gave a nod.

"Thanks, Professor," Kitty said softly, she realised he understood that her way of dealing with emotion was to keep busy so she could heal from it faster – unlike the others who had always claimed she had to face her problems, he'd decided to give her something to keep her mind off of them. She was thankful for that.

The Professor nodded, as if he'd read her mind, "you're welcome."

Rogue and Remy stepped through the mansion doors, and Remy noticed at once the bad atmosphere seemed to have entirely ebbed away. Laughter echoed around the foyer from the kitchen, and there were some teenaged female students standing in the foyer discussing something, giggling and smiling at the subject.

Monet was one of those students, she was neither laughing nor saying anything, but seemed to find the subject fascinating enough to stay and listen to it with the other girls. She glanced over to Rogue as Rogue and Remy entered the foyer, raising one very inquisitive eyebrow regarding Rogue's very short sundress.

Rogue felt her cheeks flush scarlet, and found herself wondering how much the Student's had seen of Carol in the last three weeks. If this was the kind of attire Carol would buy and wear, what else had she perhaps worn. Rogue felt suddenly very disgraced, and ashamed of her own body, and felt perhaps that she'd been betrayed by her body too.

"Good afternoon, Rogue," Monet said in a very light tone, but she reserved a very small smile that seemed to indicate some very slight amusement.

"What're you smirkin' at?" Rogue asked, feeling suddenly quite hostile again. She'd thought after the situation in Genosha, that Monet might change her attitude.

"C'mon, Chere," Remy put his hand on Rogue's back, his fingers caressing the lacy material as if perhaps he'd never touched the fabric before in his life. When Rogue turned, to see why he'd touched her back with such a tender yet suspicious linger, he was smiling somewhat slyly.

"Fine," Rogue uttered under her breath, she headed towards the staircase, Remy following her slowly.

When they got to the hallway that was the beginning of the women's dormitory, Remy spoke, "are you okay?"

"Of course, I'm okay," Rogue sighed, "I just…I don't know, I feel weird…I mean… this dress is something Carol would wear – or did wear – and my students must have been looking at me as if…I don't know, I were some kind of loose woman."

Remy patted her backside, "girls were jealous, boys droolin'. They knew the situation, Rogue, they all knew about your past with Carol Danvers, they were warned by Jean and the Professor…"

Rogue sighed, "I feel so…I don't know, exposed, like, I don't know, all my dirty laundry has been hung out for everyone to see," she said with a strange shiver. It made her feel very uneasy, very violated in some way.

"That's not true," Remy said softly, "go take a shower, do your hair, get all dressed up nice and fancy, I'm going to take you out for dinner tonight, a nice relaxing evening, just the two of us, to celebrate your being yourself again."

"Oh, yeah?" Rogue folded her arms stubbornly, "and what the hell am I going to wear? Everything in the closet shows more skin than a see through bikini."

"Well…" Remy paused, "there's a very nice pinky-purple type dress with a little strap and buckle under the bust that's very…appealing," she said, he thought back to seeing how Carol had wore that same dress, how stunning Rogue's body had looked in it. And although his thoughts were screaming at him that he was meant to be tapering off from his relationship with Rogue rather than trying to ignite more flames of passion within himself for her, he could not help but want her all the more knowing that now his time with her was limited. A month had seemed like a lot at the time he'd made the deal, but now, it seemed as if it was barely enough to do as he'd planned.

"There is?" Rogue asked, "you…actually want me to dress like that? God, why does that creep me out…you wanting me to dress like your ex-girlfriend…"

"Carol didn't dress like that when I went out with her…" Remy responded, "and it's the classiest thing you probably own right now…besides…I couldn't help but…stare when Carol wore it on your body."

Rogue swallowed, it definitely made her feel uneasy, but at the same time, something intrigued her. Since she'd followed him to the store, all the way home he'd been very romantic, if not somewhat suggestive. The way he touched her, brushed his fingers against the fabric of her dress, and now asking her to wear something he found attractive.

"You sure it won't make you nervous being around me with so much of my skin exposed?" she asked anxiously.

Remy looked away, and his thoughts slid to seeing Rogue – with Carol Danvers in domination of her body – being taken against the counter in the staff bathroom of Asylum. It did make him wonder if perhaps after Betsy's mind games, that Rogue might have gained some slight control over her powers, and it was enough to ease his mind about being close to her, especially with so much exposed skin. He shook off the hatred for Carol and the disgust and dismay of what she'd done to Rogue's body, and he turned back to Rogue, forcing a smile, "Of course."

"Alright…" Rogue finally agreed.

Remy watched her disappear into his room, his heart was thudding a little more quickly – not from thinking of seeing her in that beautiful dress, but from the fear that she might somehow find out Carol had used Rogue's body to sleep with the man who'd raped her.

The end (dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnn or is it?)

notes

Sorry this one took so long, you can blame the release of the game "The Sims 2" for the reason there hasn't been an update in so long – it's hard to stop playing once you start.

Thanks to everyone as usual, I want to sit and list everyone who's left an excellent review (or review at all for that matter) here to thank you all so much, but my time is limited, it's now 6.52 am and I need to get this uploaded and get some sleep, wake up, do my hair and leave to get a train to Glasgow – I'm going to see Sarah McLachlan live in concert (19th October, 7.30pm). My father wants to leave early because we're going Christmas shopping in Glasgow first so I'll upload this then go offline. I'll say a quick thanks to my wonderful friend Alex who always helps me out by researching and calculating things (such as the last time Remy had sex, etc). Big hi to everyone, hope you enjoy this episode, and I hope to have 25 up as soon as possible for you all.

Luv and hugs,

- Ash


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